crysede
coulda been a lady
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2001
- Posts
- 5,748
I've noticed some severe problems with the troll handling techniques around here, due to ineffective or inappropriate training methods being applied.
The tragic fact is that thousands of unwanted trolls are abandoned everyday in North America, simply because their owners allowed them to become unmanageable by neglecting to train them. Along with proper socialization, the importance of training cannot be stressed enough!
INTRODUCTION TO BASIC TROLL OBEDIENCE
The trick of dealing with trolls is just to realize that their behaviour is essential attention seeking - much like the dog that jumps up on everyone, or the parrot that steals things from guests. This makes trolls very responsive to one of the training techniques we use to get rid of problem behaviours in dogs, called "behaviour shaping" (a form of operant conditioning).
The principle behind this method is the recognition that problem behaviours are almost always associated with attention seeking, thus any attention - whether positive (praise) or negative (scolding) - is a reward. So, when one scolds a dog (or troll) for the behaviour, you are actually training the dog (or troll) to behave in that manner.
It is essential for handlers to get out of the traditional mind set of thinking of scolding as punishment: scolding rewards the animal for an attention seeking behaviour as surely as praise does. The true punishment is being ignored.
HOW TO "SHAPE THE ABSENCE" OF A PROBLEM BEHAVIOUR
This method is particularly useful with a relatively untrained dog (or troll), because you don't have to deal with a lot of behaviours that are already established.
There are only two simple rules to apply:
HOMEWORK
Now, I want everyone to find themselves a troll, and spend at least 30 minutes a day training it as described above (if there are not enough trolls to go around, two or more handlers can work with the same troll).
Remember the key to successful obedience training is consistency - so no slacking off and falling back into bad habits!
By next week I expect to see everyone here with well behaved trolls.
___________
The Golden Rule: Don't Complain, Train.
The tragic fact is that thousands of unwanted trolls are abandoned everyday in North America, simply because their owners allowed them to become unmanageable by neglecting to train them. Along with proper socialization, the importance of training cannot be stressed enough!
INTRODUCTION TO BASIC TROLL OBEDIENCE
The trick of dealing with trolls is just to realize that their behaviour is essential attention seeking - much like the dog that jumps up on everyone, or the parrot that steals things from guests. This makes trolls very responsive to one of the training techniques we use to get rid of problem behaviours in dogs, called "behaviour shaping" (a form of operant conditioning).
The principle behind this method is the recognition that problem behaviours are almost always associated with attention seeking, thus any attention - whether positive (praise) or negative (scolding) - is a reward. So, when one scolds a dog (or troll) for the behaviour, you are actually training the dog (or troll) to behave in that manner.
It is essential for handlers to get out of the traditional mind set of thinking of scolding as punishment: scolding rewards the animal for an attention seeking behaviour as surely as praise does. The true punishment is being ignored.
HOW TO "SHAPE THE ABSENCE" OF A PROBLEM BEHAVIOUR
This method is particularly useful with a relatively untrained dog (or troll), because you don't have to deal with a lot of behaviours that are already established.
There are only two simple rules to apply:
- When the dog (or troll) engages in the behaviour you wish to eliminate, you simply ignore it - this will insure that the dog (or troll) get's no reinforcement for continuing to engage in this behaviour.
- Reinforce anything and everything the dog (or troll) does that is not the problem behaviour by giving the dog (or troll) attention.
Put another way, reinforce whatever the dog (or troll) does, so long as the dog (or troll) is not doing what you don't want it to (eg: jumping up on everyone, making death threats, peeing on guests, etc.).
HOMEWORK
Now, I want everyone to find themselves a troll, and spend at least 30 minutes a day training it as described above (if there are not enough trolls to go around, two or more handlers can work with the same troll).
Remember the key to successful obedience training is consistency - so no slacking off and falling back into bad habits!
By next week I expect to see everyone here with well behaved trolls.
___________
The Golden Rule: Don't Complain, Train.
